Attendees of GSC Grays farm walks on the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) have dubbed them a “huge advantage” in planning for the future.
GSC Grays host a series of SFI farm walks in partnership with National Farmers’ Union (NFU) North to help farmers understand how SFI can benefit their farm.
The aim of the walks is to give a practical overview based on how the host farm operates, allowing time for questions and discussion amongst the farmers in attendance.
The walks have taken place on farms in Thirsk, Northallerton, Lancaster, Skipton, Alnwick and South of York covering mixed farming operations along with arable, beef and sheep, upland and dairy.
Each walk takes half a day and finishes with lunch and networking for those in attendance.
The next series of farm walks will take place in January 2024:
- January 9 – Tenanted upland farm, Sowerby Bridge;
- January 18 – Mixed beef, sheep and arable farm at Welburn, Kirkbymoorside;
- January 23 – Newcastle University farm;
- January 25 – Upland grassland at Westerdale near Whitby.
Northern sheep and arable farmer James Mills said: “The starting point is that it is free and it gives you an opportunity to get another pair of eyes to look at the business and analyse what the options are. For us it has been a huge advantage.
“Sometimes it sticks in the throat that the Basic Payment Scheme has been divvied up and handed to folks who are not delivering on the ground but once we looked at it in the context of SFI and understanding the intricate details behind the different standards, that is where the benefit does start to come back.
“It has kicked off conversations at home in terms of what we already do and what we can build on in the future if that is the direction that we choose to go in.
“We recognise we are not going to get it all back, but if we can get something to supplement the farming income we make then now is the time to do it.”
SFI
GSC Grays said SFI is a flexible scheme that enables farmers to participate in a way that suits their farming operations.
The initial application involves a number of options and expert advice can help clarify the process.
“SFI income will be highly variable and that is why the farm walks and the free advice offered to farmers provides a fresh perspective,” GSC Grays said.
“GSC Grays is able to provide half day on-farm SFI reviews to all farmers who have a valid SBI number.
“This free service allows a consultant to advise on a case by case basis the SFI options that will work best for the farm and the objectives of the farmer.”
The SFI half day review is delivered as part of the GSC Grays Farm Business Advice Service which is funded through the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ (Defra) Future Farming Resilience Fund.
